Exitlude
by Eternity's Angel of Mercy
Summary: The war against the Reapers is looking bleak and Shepard is stretched thin. Right when she thinks things can get no worse, a message from Aria T'Loak comes across her desk. Aria has an offer that Shepard can't afford to refuse, in exchange for a massive favor- reclaiming Omega from the Illusive Man.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own it! Don't sue! Read, Review, and Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One**

* * *

_I gave you what you wanted, and now I need my investment returned. Meet me at Purgatory. Now._

The words had bothered Shepard from the moment Traynor notified her of the extranet message. Aria had never been exactly hostile with her, but Shepard wasn't exactly willing to push the asari's buttons. With a sigh, she plotted a course to the Citadel and went to her cabin to reply to the asari in private. Shepard was half tempted to share the information with the others, but decided it was best to keep it to herself; at least until she was sure it was something worthy of ship-wide panic.

_I'll be there tomorrow. _

She sent the words, feeling her heart clench around them. What had she been thinking, accepting Aria's help in the first place? She should have known there would be repercussions. She should have known that no matter the threat, no matter the galactic state… Aria was the boss, and Aria demanded loyalty and submission.

* * *

Purgatory was busier than ever. After the Cerberus attack on the Citadel, the people were finally starting to take notice. And taking notice generally led to a need for booze and sex. Purgatory was a great place to find both.

A great place to find the Queen of Omega, too.

Shepard walked toward the lower lounge where Aria presided over her court. She barely glanced over at Shepard as she approached; instead she turned her attention to her human attendant, Sheerk. "Take a walk," she ordered, her voice nonchalant as ever.

"Aria," Shepard greeted as she moved to sit beside the asari.

"Glad you decided to finally answer my summons," Aria drawled, finally meeting Shepard's gaze.

Shepard sighed. "If you hadn't noticed from the vids, I have been pretty busy with Cerberus and, oh yeah, the Reapers. What's so important that I had to reschedule everything and risk a diplomatic incident?"

"Careful, Shepard, people might get the wrong idea how you feel about me," Aria murmured, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "But, down to business. I need your help. I figure I gave you a task force to fight the Reapers, so it's only fair I get something in return."

"What happened to this being everyone's fight?" Shepard asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "If I recall, you said not helping me would be counterproductive."

"True," Aria acquiesced. "But your failure to help me now would prove just as foolish."

Shepard closed her eyes, counting backwards from ten. She had never been the most patient person in the world, and dealing with Aria required a lot of patience. "What's the situation?"

"Omega," Aria replied, her eyes burning. "I want you to help me retake it."

"Omega?" Shepard repeated, stunned and trying not to laugh. "You're serious? You want me to take time out of a _war_ to go play rebellion with the Illusive Man on Omega? I have a million things I need to do, Aria, and all of them have better reasons than making your more comfortable."

"I am going to let your tone go this time," Aria said, eyes narrowed. "I suggest you try to think about this logically, Shepard. Omega has access to all of the lovely eezo your damnable Crucible could ask for. On top of that," she added, voice darkening, "you get me. All of me. My resources, my contacts. Everything."

Shepard watched the asari, feeling her heart pounding. She knew helping Aria was a risk that might very easily back fire, but…. Even with the risk, the offer was tempting. Aria was power personified. Shepard had never secretly admired and feared another person as much as she did Aria.

"When?" Shepard asked.

Aria's lips spread into a smile which could only be described as predatory. "Tomorrow morning. We'll take one of my ships." She turned her attention to a pair of dancers which brought a glass of something that smelled like burnt wood and sulfur. "And Shepard," she added, taking the drink and shooting it effortlessly. Her teeth gleamed in the red lights as she murmured, "Make sure to bring a few friends. This is going to get messy."

* * *

Author's Note:

How was the first chapter? Sorry for the short teaser, this was just such a perfect spot to stop. Let me know thoughts, critiques, etc.

Anyone who had followed along with my other fics knows that I share some music that I use to help with the writing process. If you have Spotify, check out the Exitlude playlist at "share my play lists (all one word) dot com (/) Exitlude."

Please remember to review! I love hearing from everyone!

Love love,

Eternity


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I still don't own it! Read, review and enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Two**

* * *

"I think she's trying to stare you down, Lola."

Shepard rolled her head to the right, gaze meeting the chocolate eyes of James Vega. "Who?"

"The asari," he continued, voice a low rumble. "She keeps staring at you. Like she's trying to make your head explode… or figure out if you'd taste good flayed and steamed."

Shepard's lips quirked into a smile as she checked the urge to glance across the table to Aria T'Loak. "Careful, Vega. Predators don't like sudden moves. She might be eyeing me now, but one wrong move and _wham. _She's got her sights on you." Settling back into her seat, she added, "You look tastier, anyway."

Vega chuckled, shaking his head. "You're loco, Commander."

"I try," she mused dismissively, closing her eyes. The luxury shuttle rocked violently, getting caught in the gravity of the Mass Relay. Although it was much classier and a hell of a lot more comfortable, Aria's PSV Tigress wasn't as smooth as the Normandy was. Shepard would take a military frigate over a personal spacecraft any day; the possibility of whiplash in the latter was just too damn high.

"Enjoying the ride, Shepard?" Aria's smooth tones drifted her way.

Shepard quirked her mouth into a wry smile but didn't bother opening her eyes. "Loving every second, Aria."

"I'm glad one of us is," Aria replied, as if trying to bait Shepard into a response.

Shepard cracked an eye open to glance at the asari. She was still watching Shepard keenly, like a hawk might watch a mouse. Shepard wasn't overly concerned; she was pretty sure she could take Aria. And even if she couldn't, Vega and EDI would have her back.

"What's wrong, Aria?" she indulged. "I am sure Afterlife is still in once piece."

"I am concerned about the unshackled Cerberus AI that will be walking into a shit storm of the Illusive Man's making," Aria drawled, eyes narrowing. "I need to be reassured about its intentions, Shepard. Are you planning on reassuring me?"

EDI spoke up for the first time since the beginning of the journey. "I am completely self aware. There is no harm of me exposing you to Cerberus operatives." EDI turned her attention to Shepard and Vega before adding, "They are my friends. I would not betray them. Or you, by association."

Aria didn't even look at her. "Self aware? No harm of exposing…? _Friends?_ Shepard, really?" She chuckled, but the sound was not happy. "I am sure Cerberus has viruses that could warp that pretty little metal head of yours, dolly."

"I trust her, Aria," Shepard said simply. "She is on our side and I will have her back. Nothing will happen."

"Famous last words, Commander," Aria murmured, but turned her attention to the stars streaking past outside of one of the large windows. "We should be there by this time tomorrow. Take the elevator to the second deck. The rooms and bathroom are to the left, in the East Wing. My room is marked – stay out of it."

With that, Aria swiveled her chair, her back facing them. Vega and Shepard exchanged glances, Shepard shrugging. "I guess we are dismissed," she said simply, getting to her feet and carefully making her way toward the elevator. Vega's heavy footfalls and EDI's heel clicks followed her, leaving Aria and her attendants to themselves.

…

It didn't take long for Vega to find the liquor cabinet. He knocked on Shepard's door around five in the evening, opening it a crack. "Yo, Lola?"

Shepard glanced up from her omni-tool, holding her finger up. Her earpiece was in, and from her tone, Vega could tell she was talking to Ashley. For whatever reason, Shepard's tone was always soft when she spoke with the Lieutenant-Commander. Vega knew the stories – that there had been something between them after their teammate died on Virmire almost three years back. But they were just stories, and he tried not to buy into anything that he didn't hear from the source.

"-but you can't police them all of the time," Shepard was murmuring. "It's shore leave. If they want to go out and have a few drinks, then let them. They aren't hurting anyone." She paused, listening. "Well, if they get into trouble, you and Bailey and figure out how to handle it. I'll be back soon."

After a few more moments, she said, "Okay, Ash, I have to let you go. Aria needs to debrief me." She held a finger up to her lips, as if asking Vega not to contradict. "Your objections are noted. Okay. Yes, Ashley. I will let you know." Shepard disconnected from the call before tossing her earpiece onto the end table.

"Good lord," she exclaimed. "I never knew Ashley to be such a stickler for conduct. No wonder she got promoted so fast."

"How did you manage it, then?" Vega teased. "Come on, I found the booze. I figure we're doing this pro bono, might as well get something out of it."

"I like how you think, Lieutenant," Shepard grinned, getting to her feet and following him.

The hallways were a dark, velvety black that made it feel like Shepard was swimming in the deep; or suffocating in space. The thought made Shepard shudder as she followed Vega through the lower deck. _You would think Cerberus, for all their brains, would have wiped out the last few minutes of my life. _She still had dreams about dying in space, even after all this time and all of the things that happened. It was probably something she'd never be able to shake.

"Here," Vega murmured in an undertone, coming to a stop against the black wall.

Shepard raised an eyebrow at him. "It's a wall, Vega."

Vega smirked, leaning his shoulder on the wall. The section slid back, revealing a lounge with strobe lights, blaring music, chaise lounges, a bar, and... poles.

"Classy," Shepard said simply, snorting back her laughter. "She must have ordered too many for Afterlife and decided, 'Hell, let's have a mini strip club on my ship. Why not?'"

Vega laughed, flicking his hand against one of the wall controls. The strobes stopped, which Shepard was thankful for. She wasn't the most coordinated individual in the planet – mixing flashing lights and alcohol was not a good idea.

Vega positioned himself behind the bar, rummaging through the bottles. "What's your poison, Lola?"

Shepard hopped up on a stool. "Surprise me."

Vega chuckled. "Alright, but don't blame me when you start dancing on those poles. I will not be held accountable."

"Please," Shepard grinned. "Vega, you haven't seen me dance yet. If you had, you'd know that those poles over there? Way out of my league."

"Who knows," he said, mixing three bottles of strangely colored liquor into two tumblers, "I've seen some pretty strange shit go down after have a few of these."

The pair spent the next two hours drinking and talking about past missions – ones that they had both been on, and those that occurred before they joined up together. Shepard was sprawled out on one of the chaises, her N7 tank top riding up on her muscled abdomen. She was looser than Vega had ever seen her. Granted, he had only been with her for a little over four months, but…

"Hey, Shepard," Vega began, knowing he shouldn't ask what he was about to ask. It was none of his damned business. He should just shut his damn mouth and – "Did you and Williams ever... get close?"

Shepard rolled onto her side to face him, her nose screwing up in something that looked like confusion. "What? Of course we're close. We may have hit a few… bumps… along the way, thanks to Cerberus, but we're okay now. I mean, we went through the whole '_save the galaxy from Saren'_ shit together. I don't know how you don't get close after that."

Vega shook his head. "You know what I mean, Commander. Closer than you get with the rest of the crew."

Shepard was silent for a moment, which just solidified Vega's inkling that he should have his mouth sewn shut. She then grinned, shaking her head. "Good lord, you guys must really be running out of things to fantasize about."

Vega's eyes widened. "No, no I didn't mean that-"

Shepard waved it off, chuckling. "Ash and I… we're close. I'm like a surrogate sister for her. We never took it farther than that."

Vega nodded, feeling like a jackass. "I don't even know why I asked-"

Shepard looked amused. "Sure you do. You've heard the rumors and were curious. I don't blame you; in fact, I applaud your cojones. No one's had the nerve to ask me before."

"How about I make us another drink and we forget about what a douche I am?" Vega said, already grabbing her glass and moving to the bar.

"Sure thing, Jimmy V," she laughed, rolling onto her back again. "Make mine a little stronger – I can still feel my toes."

* * *

Shepard was acutely aware of her pounding head before she woke up. Once she did return to her senses, however, her head felt ready to explode. Moaning, Shepard lifted herself up with one arm, her free hand running over her face.

"James, the hell was in those drinks?" she grumbled. When she didn't receive a response, she groaned, pulling herself to her feet. Vega was nowhere to be seen. "Figures," she grumbled, swaying toward the trick door.

Shepard reached out for a door knob, which was not there. She frowned at the wall, her head swimming. "What in the hell…" The wall was as seamless on this side as it was on the other side. No levers, no knobs… just wall.

"Shit," she moaned, her hand feeling across the smooth wall for any sign of where the exit was. "James!" she hissed, hoping beyond hope that he was outside of the door and playing a prank on her.

After a few moments of scrabbling with the wall, a section opened up, sliding to the side. Shepard practically cried in relief. "Vega, I could kill you for leaving me in here-"

But it wasn't Vega that Shepard came face-to-face with in the doorway. It was Aria T'Loak, and she was barely wearing anything. The black negligee hugged her curves and was low enough, and short enough, to leave little to the imagination.

Shepard's voice died in her throat. "Aria," she began, trying to keep from staring or falling over. Damn that Vega and his brain murdering drinks.

Aria was leaning in the doorway, effectively blocking Shepard from getting around her. She did not seem amused, either, which was not altogether shocking. "Shepard. I had to let your idiot Lieutenant out, as well. Somehow he figured out to use the wall panel for the lights, but not for the door." Her brow arched, as if accusing Shepard for the same stupidity.

"We might be a little inebriated," Shepard admitted.

Aria's lips twitched. "A little? Well thank the Goddess. I was thinking you might have been trying to sabotage your only chance at getting an alliance with me by getting shitfaced and passing out in my _private _lounge."

After a moment of regarding one another critically, Aria stepped back. "Well. I usually don't let trespassers out of here with their clothing, but…" she trailed off, seeming to relish the obvious shock that flitted over Shepard's face. "I guess I can make two exceptions tonight." She stepped back and began walking toward the East wing, where the bedrooms were located.

She paused, turning back to meet Shepard's gaze. She was grinning, the expression dark and wolfish. "And Shepard…. You might not want to sneak in here again. I don't think I'll be so…lenient… next time."

Shepard watched in confusion as the Queen of Omega strode purposely to her room, the hem of her negligee caressing the tops of shapely thighs.

"Shit," Shepard sighed, looking up to the ceiling. "If Cerberus doesn't kill me, Aria certainly will."

* * *

Author's Note:

We touch down on Omega in the next chapter! Tensions are already brewing between Aria and Shepard. Will Omega be as cut and dry of a win for Shepard? How will this alliance work out – or will it?

Leave me some comments, let me know what you liked, didn't like, etc.

Love love,

Eternity


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

The next morning found Shepard in the large kitchen, watching as Vega made eggs and EDI took stock of every inch of the ship.

"This seems very unnecessary," EDI informed, staring at a large, gilt picture frame. The impressionist canvas within was a black and white nude of asari in varying poses.

"I dunno, E, I kinda like it," Vega said with a grin.

EDI, not to be ignored, continued. "The frame itself is worth more than most of our operations in one week. The art within, upon analysis, is a famous work of which only seven were made. Yet it is here, hanging in a corner… by the food cooling device."

Shepard shrugged, taking a drink of her grapefruit juice. "It's Aria, EDI. Why does she do anything she does?"

"Maybe the kitchen is an erotic place for her," James chuckled, adding a few dashes of chili powder to the eggs.

Shepard winced. She decided to overlook the erotic comment, even though a flash of Aria's scantily clad form flitted across her mind's eye. Damn that asari… "Easy with the spices, Vega; you already added half a pound of garlic powder and hot sauce. What the hell are you trying to do, kill my intestines?"

Vega shrugged, seeming unconcerned. "I never said you would get any of my famous scrambled eggs, anyway."

"I would avoid them, Shepard," EDI informed, sitting down beside Shepard and crossing her legs at the ankles. "I have a feeling James has never cooked before."

"Please," Vega scoffed, turning to wave a spatula at EDI as Shepard smothered a laugh. "I will have you know, I was one of the best damn chefs with my division. People swarmed to get a piece of whatever I was cooking."

"Mmm, I am sure that made you feel very manly," Shepard teased from behind her glass.

"You know you love it," he returned easily, going back to his cooking.

EDI glanced between the two of them, as if thinking deeply. "Shepard, may I ask something?"

"Shoot," Shepard nodded, taking another sip from her grapefruit juice.

"You have not had any sexual interaction with anyone aboard the ship, despite your numerous admirers. Why?"

Shepard's eyes widened, her mouth dropping open in surprise. She was completely nonplused, to the point where she could only stare blankly at the waiting AI. Vega was too busy guffawing over his pan of eggs to say anything.

Finally, Shepard wrapped her brain around the topic enough to stutter, "That… that is a very strange and awkward question to be asking."

"I am only curious," she said, as if that explained everything. "For example, you and James are together often and he is evidently interested in you, and you him, but nothing comes of it."

Now it was Vega's turn to gape as Shepard laughed. "EDI," Shepard began, trying to figure out the best way to describe what she was trying to say. "Vega and I are _not _interested in each other."

"At _all_," Vega agreed. Then, with a wince, he hurried added, "No offense, Shepard."

"None taken. We're friends; hell, he's like an obnoxious kid brother. The flirting, it's just…"

"We like to make each other squirm," Vega supplied.

"Right. We do it for harmless fun."

EDI regarded them both before letting out the closest thing to an annoyed huff Shepard had ever heard from an AI. "I do not think I will ever fully understand organic thinking." Shepard smiled and Vega began splitting the pan of eggs between two plates, handing one to Shepard and taking the other to his own chair.

"So Commander," Vega began after Shepard took a bite of her eggs. "What's up with the celibacy, anyway? Afraid an underling is going to claim sexual harassment?"

Shepard choked, turning a glare to him. "You are worse than EDI! Why is everyone so interested in my love life, anyway? Don't we have a rebellion to lead and a galactic war to end?"

"True," Vega acquiesced, leaning back in his chair. "But I, for one, would be damn pissed if I died before getting some nookie, that's all I'm saying."

Shepard grumbled under her breath, returning her attention to the eggs in front of her. To her surprise, they were very good; maybe Vega wasn't as full of himself as she'd thought.

Aria graced into the room at that moment, her negligee having been replaced by a pair of form fitting black pants and long-sleeved shirt. She barely spared the group a glance as she opened the refrigerator, rummaging through it.

"Eggs, Aria?" Shepard offered. Vega glanced over at her, an eyebrow raised as if to say _I am not getting up to cook her anything_.

Aria did not answer and instead took a container from the refrigerator, along with a spoon from the cutlery container. She moved through the kitchen like a cat, all languid legs, before coming to sit between Shepard and James. Shepard glanced into the ceramic bowl Aria had procured, trying to figure out what was inside.

Aria caught Shepard's eyes and offered her the faintest grin. "How was your night, Commander? Anything interesting happen after Vega left you?"

Shepard checked the urge to look away. There was something about Aria, especially recently, that made Shepard exceedingly uncomfortable. What was she trying to prove with this question? Shepard refused to break the stare and give Aria the satisfaction. She let her lips curl into a smile that she didn't feel. "No, nothing noteworthy. Why, was there something I should know about?"

Aria's eyelashes fluttered as she blinked, the long lashes dusting across her cheeks. "Perhaps," she replied evenly, twirling her spoon through the orange mixture in the bowl. The substance moved like cream, but seemed too thick. The spoon left a trace of gold as it weaved through. "Does the AI eat, as well?" she asked, eyeing EDI critically.

"Eating is unnecessary and discouraged due to circuitry," EDI replied, obviously missing the sarcasm in Aria's tone.

"What about Shepard?" Aria murmured, raising the spoon in an offering. The orange substance gleamed under the lighting, shimmering iridescently.

Shepard felt her frustration mounting. Aria had done nothing but try to push her buttons for the past three days. And Aria was winning. Shepard's buttons were pressed and she couldn't shake the strange emotion the seemed to dog her heels now.

"Sure," Shepard found herself answering, rising to the taunt.

Aria's mouth twitched as she brought the spoon to Shepard's lips. Shepard let the asari place to spoon in her mouth, her eyes never leaving Aria's. She tried to discern the expression on Aria's face and couldn't. The mixture slid down Shepard's throat, tasting like fruit and chocolate and wine all mixed together.

When Aria pulled the spoon back, she said in an undertone, "Delicious, isn't it? I refuse to eat anything else for breakfast." She reached out, brushing her thumb over Shepard's lower lip, as if collecting excess. She then placed the thumb to her mouth, her icy eyes never leaving Shepard's.

"Okay," Vega began, clearing his throat. "This feels weird and personal and I don't think I should be in here for it."

Aria chuckled, getting to her feet and taking the bowl with her. "Don't worry, James. You will have your commander back when I am done with her." She was out the door within moments, leaving a stunned Vega and Shepard to stare at one another.

"I see," EDI said simply.

* * *

"What do we know since the take over?" Shepard asked, sitting across from Aria at the briefing table.

Aria waved her hand over her console, making the table light up into an orange galactic map. "I still have a few people in place since the overthrowing," Aria began calmly. "The ports have all been taken over completely. There is no way either of us will be getting clearance to come within fifty kilometers of the docking bays."

"Fantastic, so what is your plan?" Vega asked, running a hand over his face.

Aria pretended as if she hadn't heard him. "The Illusive Man has dry goods, perishables, and munitions for the troops shipped in weekly. That's our ticket."

"And… we plan on getting into one of these ships…how?" Vega pressed.

Aria's cool gaze met Vega's. "We already have one; we stole it last week."

Shepard arched an eyebrow. "You stole a ship…. And how did you get away with this?"

Aria's smile widened. "I have ways of getting what I want, Shepard."

"I don't doubt it," Shepard replied, turning her attention back to the holo-map. "So, we have a stolen shuttle and all access codes?" At Aria's nod, Shepard continued. "Great. So, we land at the docking bay. How many perps can we be expecting to greet us?"

Aria looked to her constant companion, Sheerk. "The average is thirty, give or take," he replied quickly. "Our sources on the station have confirmed anywhere from twenty to fifty could be there at any given time. Mostly desk jockeys, but a few armed thugs, too."

"Shepard," EDI began, "that is not solid information, nor good odds. Even with thirty armed men, we will be surrounded on all sides. There is little cover in the docking bay on Omega."

Aria's eyes narrowed. "Shepard, you aren't in a position to get cold feet right now. We are doing this, _now_, no matter what your doll has to say."

Shepard felt her last nerve give out. "Calm the fuck down, Aria. I am here, aren't I? Do you think I tagged along just so I could go joy riding with you?" She turned to EDI. "We've faced worse before. We've got to keep vigilant and keep in cover. EDI, make sure you have your decoy out to keep their attention. I'll use what tech I can to cover our asses. James – blast 'em all to hell and don't let up until they're gone."

Aria stood so violently fast that Shepard mirrored the action, hand moving to the pistol at her side but not drawing. Sheerk had a gun out and trained on Shepard, his usually calm expression hardened. "Don't touch it," he warned.

Aria, on the other hand, looked amused. "Shepard, I am flattered you find me enough of a threat for all that. Sheerk, put the gun down. She wouldn't pull a gun on me in my own ship. Shepard knows better." She ran her hands across the flat pain of her stomach, as if brushing imaginary dust from her clothing. "I will be accompanying you on the ground team. My biotics might come in handy for you."

Shepard's hand left her pistol and she slowly lowered herself back into her chair. "You're coming along?"

"Of course I am," Aria returned, a bit snappish. "I need this done right, Shepard, and there's no better way than to ensure it then to get involved personally."

"This just keeps getting better," Vega groaned.

"Where do we go once we get onto the station?" Shepard asked, ignoring Vega.

Aria pulled up the schematics of the base. "We'll be going through an area that will be very familiar to you." A red light traced its way from the docking bay and to the right, toward the residential district.

"We will have to fight our way through residential," Aria was saying as the line wound through the thoroughfares. "We have quite a few supporters there who will be willing to help fight; anything to get them out from under Cerberus' boot."

"Lesser of all evils," Vega grumbled.

"After we make our way through the Air Control Center. It is probably going to be heavily guarded, so more than likely we'll have a firefight there," Aria continued. "Behind the ACC, we will reach the comm. center. We need to take down all communication. If there is one thing my inside men can tell us, it's that the drones don't do well without constant supervision. If we can get the communication links down-"

"We effectively separate the grunts from the commanders," Shepard finished.

Aria's predatory grin widened. "Precisely. Get suited up; we'll be there in thirty minutes."

* * *

"Hey Lola," Vega murmured in an undertone. "Did you ever get the okay from Hackett for this?"

Shepard was crouched down behind one of the stolen shuttle's containers of "food." She didn't answer Vega for a few moments, which made the man groan. "Shepard, you're kidding, right?"

Shepard turned her visor-covered eyes to Vega. "He told me I was crazy, but if I thought it was worth it, to do it."

"That man puts a lot of faith in you."

"In all of us," Shepard corrected. She checked his scope again, her thundering heart calming as she went through the motions of lining up the sights. "I wouldn't be where I am today without the rest of you crazy marines."

"And aliens, and AI's," Vega chuckled. "I don't know how you collect such a following of weirdos, but I'm glad you do. Gives me a break now and again."

The shuttle lurched and Shepard felt her stomach drop. They were landing. Aria's attendant was a horrible pilot, but he seemed to have gotten them this far without being blown out of the sky. That had to count for something.

"Get ready," Aria murmured through her comm. link. "They'll be opening the hatch soon."

Shepard rested her elbow on her knee as she lined up her rifle, the scope set to the middle of the hatch. EDI's pistol was aimed and ready, as was Vega's shotgun. Voices were coming close from outside of the hatch.

"-should have that new medigel that they have been working on."

"Medigel and painkillers, best part of this damn job."

"Drop the medigel and I'll agree with you."

The aircraft decompressed as the hatch was lifted, the hydraulic arms making the door slide up agonizingly slow.

"Wait for my go," Shepard breathed. She felt Vega shift beside her, his finger hovering over his trigger. "Wait," she repeated.

The hatch was fully opened. The two guards were stepping into the shuttle, their weight shifting the hold. Shepard lined up her shot, let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding… and pulled the trigger.

The bullet went right through the guard's visor. His head exploded inside the helmet, gore and blood splashing up onto the clear glass. Vega's shotgun went off right next to her and hit the second guard square in the chest. At the same time, Aria's sub-machine gun added a volley of holes to his neck. He stumbled, sputtering, and fell over.

The docking bay was filled with the sounds of shouting from startled Cerberus operatives. Shepard barely heard the shock and fear of the Cerberus employees as she slid over the crate she had been hiding behind. Her blood was rushing through her ears, adrenaline thrumming through her veins. Aria was already standing at the mouth of the shuttle, her eyes gleaming with something Shepard could only describe as blood lust.

She turned those cool eyes to Shepard, her mouth curved into a fiendish grin. "Two down… fifteen hundred to go."

"Bring it," Vega replied, pumping his shotgun. "These bitches are going to wish they never even heard of Omega."

The sounds of the Cerberus guards came closer, sending a thrill down Shepard's spine as she looked between her two squad mates, and then Aria. "Let's do this."

Aria was still laughing in delight when the first Cerberus operative rounded the corner, coming face-to-face with her SMG.

* * *

Author's Note: Wooohoooo we're finally on Omega! The next chapter will be a lot of blood, guts, gore… and possibly some romance? We'll see! ;)

Remember to review! I love hearing from you!

Xoxoxo Love love,

Eternity


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

* * *

Shepard was cornered. Her breath hitched in her throat as she stared through the sights of her rifle. There were at least half a dozen men around her, all of which were closing in faster than she could pick them off. She had gotten separated from the rest of the group about ten minutes ago. It hadn't been too big of a deal at first–until her 'hidden' vantage point wasn't so hidden anymore.

Shepard reloaded her sniper, cursing the damn Atlas time for blowing up the wall she had wedged herself behind. The wall had a perfect slit for her to thread the nose of her gun through and snipe from hiding. Now, thanks to the mech's missiles, her wall was demolished, leaving only a small lip for her to hide behind.

Needless to say, she was spotted rather quickly.

"Shepard, status?" EDI requested over their link.

"Still under fire," she breathed, hopping up and shooting one of the Cerberus operatives in the throat. He went down and Shepard quickly ducked behind the partition. "Five of them are close. I'm backed into a corner."

"We're comin', Lola," Vega called amid bursts of gunfire.

Shepard reloaded her sniper as quickly as her gloved fingers would allow, slamming the chamber closed and aiming up another shot. She let out a breath, pulling the trigger. The shot went high, clipping the operative's mask.

"Fuck," she hissed, ducking back and reloading. They were getting closer. Twenty, twenty-five more steps and they were on her. She said a quick prayer to whoever might be listening and aimed up another shot.

She managed to hit the grunt this time, making him spin in a half circle before falling to the ground. The other four were closing in, though, and Shepard felt the nasty sting of bullets being barely deflected from her overworked shields.

"Vega, where you at?" she called, ducking and loading another heat sink in. Between her heart hammering in her throat and her adrenaline clogging her veins, her breathing became short and shallow.

There was no response from Vega, but suddenly a Cerberus operative was flying through the air toward her, his arms and legs flailing. He sailed into the wall behind Shepard before crashing down on top of her.

"Shit, shit," Shepard chanted, struggling to get out from under the man. She had never seen an overweight Cerberus operative, but from the weight of the man on top of her, Shepard guessed he was pushing four hundred with his armor. She wriggled out from under him, sure she would come face-to-face with the man's friends.

Instead, Aria was beside her. The asari's hands were bathed in biotic glow, her body loose and languid. "Sleeping, Shepard?"

"Cute," Shepard breathed, getting to her feet beside the asari. Their small corner of the sector was shockingly quiet now. "Where are the others?"

"Further up, closer to the ACC," she replied, the blue sparks dancing around her fingers fading. "Do you need a second, or can we go?"

It was almost the nicest Aria had ever sounded; almost as if she was trying to be compassionate. Shepard tried not to look too stunned as she shook her head. "Let's go."

Shepard followed closely behind Aria. The asari moved easily and fluidly through the long corridors of residential streets. "We got relief from some of my supporters," she was saying as they ran. "With all of the commotion, we didn't notice when you didn't rejoin us."

"Funny how they lose their Commander, but not the asari who has nothing to do with their pay," Shepard joked, knowing very well that EDI and Vega could hear her.

"Ha. Ha. Not funny, Shepard," Vega quipped. He sounded out of breath. "We're doubling back for you two."

"Don't bother," Shepard argued. "Go forward but _carefully. _Keep a low profile – and try to stay out of corners you can't back out of," she added glibly.

"Affirmative," EDI replied. "Please alert Aria that some of her men will be waiting for her near the ACC. Others have come with us."

"Aria, we'll run into some of your men further up," Shepard called ahead to the asari.

"Mmm, it's about time they did something useful," Aria mused.

Shepard couldn't keep the chuckle from escaping her lips. "Well, at least the way should be uneventful-" As the words left her lips, Shepard caught sight of a flash grenade sailing toward them. "Goddamn it!" she snapped, grabbing Aria roughly by the arm and tossing her toward the closest cover.

The explosion of white, searing light made Shepard stumble, her ears ringing. She managed to fall beside Aria, who also looked disoriented.

"Shit," Aria snapped, shaking her head as if trying to make sense of their current predicament. "They must have made it in through one of the side streets. Our flanks are weakening. Shiro," she called over her earpiece. She must have gotten a response, because she continued, "Take a dozen men and bolster our flanks along Ridley. Cerberus is breaking through."

By the time the call was over, Shepard' eye sight was mostly back to normal, and there was only a faint buzzing in her ears. "I'm down to two spare heat sinks," Shepard murmured, loading another into her rifle.

"Please tell me you brought more than a rifle?" Aria asked, the blue biotic power flaring around her fingers as she peaked over the lip of their hiding spot. "Look like four. All civilians... Damnit, I was the one who gave them weapons! Backstabbing son of a bitches," she murmured heatedly.

Shepard lined up a quick shot, popping up and dropping one of them with a bullet to the neck. She ducked back down to slide her second to last sink into the gun. She cursed the single shot rifle for what had to be the billionth time. It was a great cosmic joke that the rifle that fit her like a glove required reloading after every shot.

Aria tossed a singularity over the parapet, managing to miss every single civilian. She let out a string of elaborate curses and words Shepard had never heard before. Shepard moved the nose of the rifle over the blockade, scoping out the men. "I have visuals on two of them. I don't see the third."

Shepard had a bad feeling about that as she popped up over the short wall again. She aimed, ignoring the bullets pinging away at her shield. She pulled the trigger, her bullet nestling perfectly into one of the two men's chest cavity. He went down right as Shepard caught sight of the third man, lying flat on his belly on the ground.

With a grenade launcher aimed right at her.

The grenade was sailing toward her before she even had time to think. She ducked back down, knowing that there was no time to move. There was nothing they could do.

The grenade tinged on impact, not three meters from them. Aria's eyes widened as she caught sight of it, her mouth rounding in a shout. Shepard did the only thing she could think to do – protect the principle.

Shepard grabbed Aria and forced her down, wrapping her body around her.

The grenade detonating almost knocked Shepard unconscious. She held firmly, though, keeping herself curled around the asari's form. She felt Aria struggling beneath her; she had a feeling the woman was trying to say something, but all Shepard could hear was the blood rushing through her ears.

* * *

"You idiot!" Aria was screaming, trying to worm her way out of Shepard's iron grasp. The woman's body had blocked most damage, though Aria was guessing the agonizingly hot pain in her right leg meant some of the shrapnel found her.

She finally shoved Shepard off, only to find the human was unconscious. Her shield was in tatters and her suit seemed to have short-circuited. The telltale flashes of medigel being administered from the suit were stunted and weak.

_Too many points of injury, _Aria realized suddenly. She let out an angry screech and tossed herself over the parapet. She threw a warp at the man closest to her while he fumbled with his gun. He was shredded to pieces within seconds. Aria's feet carried her, faster than she realized was possible, toward the man with the grenade launcher.

He was grappling on his back for his shotgun, as if he were going to actually shoot her. Shoot _her, _Aria fucking T'Loak! Aria had to grin at the thought, reaching down and grabbing the human by the throat. She pulled him up viciously, using her free hand to pluck his larynx out with a sharp biotic pull.

She tossed the man, and his larynx, to the side, shaking with adrenaline. She felt, for the first time, something like regret welling inside of her. She was the reason this was happening. And then she banished the thought just as quickly as it had come. _Cerberus _was the reason this was happening.

"T'Loak!" someone called, running closer. Aria saw one of her lieutenants, Shiro, coming forward, panting. "We got down here as soon as we could. I just sent men to bolster the flank up at Ridley. That's where they're breaking through."

"Shepard's down," Aria found herself responding. "I need somewhere safe to hole her up until we get her back in the fight."

Shiro nodded, waving a man over. "Find a house and get them to it. Take someone else and guard the door." He turned to Aria. "Where is she?"

Aria showed Shiro to where Shepard was still unconscious in a heap. The man whistled low. "Grenade?" At Aria's nod he grimaced. "Well, most of it is probably just surface damage, nothing too deep, hopefully. I can have a medic down-"

"Don't bother," Aria interrupted. "I can take care of the injuries. Keep pushing forward. We need that comm tower out immediately."

Shiro nodded, pulling Shepard up, hooking her arm over his shoulder. "Jesus, she's heavier than she looks," he grunted, moving forward. "Her teammates are closing in on the comm tower. Should we send word to them? Let them know Shepard's out of commission?"

Aria thought about it before shaking her head. "She's not going to die. What they don't know won't distract them."

"Got it, boss," Shiro replied, dragging the commander further up the heat-sink covered street.

* * *

Shepard awoke the moment Aria closed the door. "What-"

"You're hurt," Aria interjected. The asari moved toward the couch where Shiro had put Shepard. "Don't struggle."

Shepard watched Aria as she deftly unclasped the sides of her armor. "I can do it," Shepard muttered, sounding annoyed.

"Shut up," Aria ordered, unbuckling the left side before moving to the right. Her fingers were quick and made simple work of the N7 armor. She soon had the shell separated and gently moved the pieces away from Shepard's body.

"Oh shit," Shepard whispered, her head spinning. She hadn't realized how much shrapnel had made it through her armor and was now lodged nearly into her flesh. Her black shirt had been tinged brown from dried blood.

"Quite," Aria agreed, placing the armor on the floor. "Can you manage your clothes?" she asked, not waiting for an answer. She was already moving toward the small kitchenette, grabbing vials of medigel. She picked up a few bowls and other supplies, as well.

"Where are we?" Shepard asked as she tugged her shirt up and over her head. She winced as the fabric tugged at the pieces of metal. She'd had worse, though. _At least it was a grenade launcher and not a rocket launcher_, she mused to herself with a wry smile.

"One of the supporter's houses," Aria replied, coming over to Shepard. "Pants, too," she added. At Shepard's raised eyebrow, the asari sighed. "Look, I didn't ask your dumbass self to cover me with your body. Don't look at me that way or I'll knock you out."

Shepard acquiesced, sliding her black leggings down over her hips. She sat in her underwear, feeling scarred, ugly and slightly embarrassed as the beautiful asari in front of her went to work.

The woman first produced a pair of cooking tongs. Shepard raised an eyebrow, which resulted in a simple shrug from Aria. "You work with what you've got. Now turn and hold still."

Shepard turned, letting Aria have access to her back. The cold metal tongs went to work plucking out the largest of the shrapnel pieces that had manages to sneak through her armor. Shepard did her best not to flinch as the asari tugged brutishly at the pieces in her skin.

"You would make a horrible doctor," Shepard wheezed through gritted teeth.

"Mmm, good thing I only do this on the weekends, then," the asari replied carelessly, tugging another piece out.

The pain only increased as Aria made her way to Shepard's lower back. A few times, Shepard felt like she was going to pass out. Eventually, her endorphins kicked in and the pain numbed. Aria then moved on to her right, plucking pieces from her arm and side.

After close to an hour, all of the little pieces of metal were collected in a bowl. Aria had a faint glimmer of sweat on her brow, which she brushed off carelessly. "Alright, you are now only sixty percent metal again," she said, getting to her feet.

Shepard smirked. "Hey, that sixty percent metal is what is keeping me here to fight your damn rebellion." She watched as Aria took the bowls back to the kitchen, disposing of the shrapnel and washing her hands.

The asari came back to Shepard's side, grabbing the medigel. "Alright, let me see your back again."

Shepard sighed. "I can manage it, Aria."

The asari's brow raised, her expression hard to read but definitely not amused. "Turn," she ordered.

Shepard turned. Aria's cool hands smoothed over her back, the gentle swath of medigel working its magic to speed up her healing process. The smaller cuts were already mending, which the larger ones seemed to be toughening and scabbing over.

Aria's hands ran across her shoulders and dipped lower, gracefully caressing the gel across her lower back. Shepard felt her heart thundering in her chest, hoping to God that Aria's sense of hearing wasn't as good as her predatory nature led to believe.

Aria's hands moved over Shepard's sides, her long fingers brushing along the hem of Shepard's panties. Shepard swallowed audibly, her heartbeat feeling like it was leaping out of her throat.

"Why did you cover me like you did?" Aria asked, her voice silken, lips against Shepard's ear.

Shepard's hands were trembling. She willed them to stop, not speaking until she was happy with their stillness. "I was protecting the principle," Shepard replied. "One of the first things you get taught in the military. Keep the principle safe."

"Hmmm," Aria hummed, smoothing more medigel over Shepard's thigh before moving back to her side. "So that's what I am? Your principle?"

"Yes," Shepard breathed, the word barely above a whisper.

Aria's chuckle was husky in Shepard's ear, her lips like velvet as they pressed against Shepard's pulsing jugular. "You're a horrible liar, Shepard."

* * *

Author's Note:

Woohoo, another chapter done! What'd ya think? Leave some reviews, let me know what you liked or didn't like.

Love love,

E.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

* * *

Shepard awoke with a start, a moan escaping her lips. Her injuries were healing, but that didn't make them any less painful. Disoriented and exhausted, Shepard swung her legs off the couch and plodded toward the bathroom.

"Aria?" she called, blinking sleep from her eyes. She couldn't see the asari anywhere in the small apartment. She had probably left Shepard there. _Bitch,_ she thought without venom.

Swinging the bathroom door open, Shepard came face-to-face with a barely clothed Aria. She was standing in nothing but a white towel, her leg propped up on the countertop. The asari didn't even look startled as she plucked pieces of metal from her leg. "Shepard," she greeted nonchalantly. "I figured you'd be asleep longer. Do you want a shower before we get moving again?"

Shepard averted her eyes from Aria, trying not to feel like a pervert. The woman was gleaming with water, the drops pooling around her collar bone and dipping gracefully to where the towel just barely covered her breasts. "Uh… yes. I think… how long was I out?"

"Not long," Aria replied simply. "Just enough time for me to shower and start pulling this shit out of my leg. Fucking frag grenades. I wish I had time to torture that asshole before I ripped his throat out."

Shepard cocked an eyebrow. "You are speaking _figuratively_, I take it?"

Aria paused in her shrapnel hunt, her eyes meeting Shepard's in the mirror. Her half-tilted lips told Shepard that no, she was not being figurative. Her gaze dropped back to the bottom of the mirror, which she used to find more specks of metal. "Are you going to gawk, or are you going to shower?"

Shepard opened her mouth to retort, but no words came out. Instead she murmured, "Gawking sounds more fun."

Aria's lips twitched but she didn't look up. "I am sure it does. Get your shower. Vega has been anxiously waiting for us to give the go-ahead for phase two."

Shepard was jolted out of her thoughts by that. "Have they cut communication at the tower?" She tried not to feel self conscious as she slid out of her panties and unhooked her bra, climbing into the sunken tub. She turned on the water, flinching as the tap hit her cuts.

"Not yet," Aria replied, voice rising over the rush of water. "They just got the facility. We're going to lose all contact with my men, since we're working through that comm. tower, too. Your team can reach you through the Normandy's link, right?"

"Right," Shepard called back, scrubbing herself down in record time. "So long as my visor isn't busted all to hell after that grenade had its way with me," she added as an afterthought, turning off the shower. "Once they cut the communication, we're all meeting up at Afterlife?" She tossed her wet hair into a ponytail as Aria hummed an affirmative, and then stepped out of the tub.

Aria was leaning against the wall now, watching Shepard keenly. She had redressed in her back leggings and tee shirt, her arms crossed over her chest. "You keep in shape, Shepard," Aria purred. "It's hard to tell with all of that bulky armor you marines wear."

Shepard snatched the towel Aria had been using from the counter, using it to dry herself off. "Well, I do get quite a bit of cardio… saving the galaxy and whatnot." She said it calmly, doing her best to keep her attention on drying her skin and not the way Aria's eyes raked over her.

Aria chuckled, the sound like crushed velvet again Shepard's cheek. "I am sure you could be getting a bit more… cardio… if you visited me more often."

Shepard finally met Aria's gaze, heart thudding painfully in her chest. "Don't make promises I might entertain, Aria."

Aria's grin widened, becoming wolfish. "Oh believe me, Shepard; that is one promise I hope you _do_ entertain. I've always been… curious… about you."

"What about me is fascinating?" Shepard asked simply, leaning down to run the towel across her calves.

Aria pushed off of the wall, crossing the small space to Shepard's side. She reached out, fingernails tracing along Shepard's exposed spine. "I hear tales. Tall tales, mostly, but a few that make you seem downright…human."

Shepard suppressed a shudder as Aria's nails dragged across her lower back. "I guess being Queen means having the entertainers flocking to your court."

"Mmhmm," Aria hummed. "And my, did I hear some interesting things. Such as your jaunts to Chora's Den-"

Shepard stood, the towel caressing from her knee to her thigh. Her eyes rose to meet Aria's; their noses nearly brushed, Aria was standing so close. "It's not a crime to get drunk."

"Or to take a dancer or two home…" Aria trailed off, lips curving around her teeth. "Or to meet with the Consort on more than one occasion."

Shepard raised an eyebrow before smirking. "What can I say? She's good between the sheets."

Aria actually laughed, pulling away. "It's always refreshing to see a woman who knows what she wants and will get it no matter the fanfare attached to it. Now get dressed, Shepard, before we do something we might enjoy." She turned from the commander, sashaying out the door. Shepard closed her eyes, counted backwards from ten, and bent down to retrieve her underwear.

* * *

"Would you be _quiet_? You sound like a Krogan charging pyjaks."

Shepard wanted to reach over and smack the asari across the back of her head. Instead she took a deep breath and counted. She found it was a necessary practice when dealing with Aria.

The asari moved silently along the wall, her light armor whispering with each movement. Shepard, however, was not as lucky in the silence department. Every few steps, the joint at her left knee would let out a squeaky sigh of protest from where a previous injury had knocked the plating out of alignment. Not to mention her boots _did_ make her sound like she weighed a thousand kilograms.

She followed Aria along the wall, gun out and ready. When she came to a halt beside the violet-skinned beauty, Aria turned to frown at her. "I assumed you understood the difference between _being quiet_ and _making more noise than before. _ I should have explained, sorry."

"Aria, I _will_ shoot you in the leg," Shepard warned.

Vega laughed from the communication line linked through her visor. "Whoa now, Commander."

"Would you blame me if I shot her in the leg?" Shepard pressed. Aria glanced back at her, looking confused. Shepard pointed to her visor's earpiece as an explination.

"It's a damn fine leg. I'd say go for her foot."

"James wants me to shoot you in the foot instead," Shepard told Aria in an undertone. The self-proclaimed Queen of Omega rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the door in front of them. "How is the progress?" Shepard added to Vega.

"We're hitting major resistance in here," he replied, breath coming quick. "Some of Aria's guys are heading your way to get you in. We're sticking here in the main room, keeping Cerberus off your asses."

"Got it," Shepard replied. To Aria, she added, "Explain to me why we don't have access to the club again?"

Aria narrowed her eyes. "In short? Reprogramming. The goddamn Illusive Man is a bastard."

Shepard nodded. "All I needed to know."

It wasn't long before the door was forced open from the other side. A handful of batarians and human were immediately ushering the two women into Afterlife's VIP lounge.

"I remember this place," Shepard mused.

Aria snorted. "You remember this place or you remember the Ardat-Yakshi you took home?"

"She took me home, technically," Shepard corrected. "And how would you even know that?"

Aria raised a brow, something she was flawless at. "Really, Shepard?"

"Wait, you banged an Arashi-what now?" Vega interrupted.

"Ardat-Yakshi," EDI informed matter-of-factly between smatters of gunfire. "Asari who maim or, in severe cases, kill their partner during sex."

"I didn't bang her," Shepard added defensively.

"She just brought her onto the ship, posing at the Ardat-Yakshi's mother, who happened to be a Justicar. Who Shepard helped kill."

"How did _you _get to know all of this?" Vega asked, sounding a little insulted.

Shepard could imagine EDI shrugging as she answered, "I had nothing better to do than eavesdrop. It's remarkably entertaining at times."

Shepard's amusement dropped off as she and Aria rounded the corner of the VIP entrance. Cerberus troops were flowing in from one of the side doors. "James, you didn't hold them off very well!" Shepard chided, kicking a table over and taking cover behind it. Aria dropped down beside her, loading a new heat sink into her pistol.

"Another wave just came in," Vega groaned. "They keep comin', Commander."

"Copy that," Shepard murmured, lining up a Cerberus troop in her crosshairs and pulling the trigger. She smiled as the troop dropped, his helmet a mess of blood and brain matter. "We'll dig in here and try to reroute some of our men to you."

"Negative," EDI returned. "We can hold the line here with the men we have."

"If you need backup, speak up," Shepard said, loading another sink. She slid to the side, lining up another shot and pulling the trigger. Her bullet tore through the man's neck at the same time Aria's warp shredded him in half.

Aria and Shepard exchanged identical grins. "Bet you that you can't pick the same target again," Shepard challenged, already sliding a heat sink into the chamber.

Aria laughed, her entire body glowing with a blue hum. "I bet you I can. Winner takes bragging rights?"

"Done," Shepard agreed, saddling to the side and picking her next target.

* * *

Author's Note: Ack, sorry I didn't get this chapter to you yesterday. Election Day is, like, my third favorite day in the world. I know, I'm weird as hell. But that's okay! Tell me what Election traditions you have, or what your favorite holiday is! Oh, you should also tell me what you liked or didn't like about the chapter, too.

FYI - You can PM me about anything (requests, comments, critiques, etc), or you can always hit me up on twitter cookyflukemegg. ::) **Yes, I am taking requests for one-shots/short stories. **Let me know what you wanna see!

Love love,

E


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

* * *

"Goddamnit, Shepard! He was mine!"

"Well maybe you should use a gun instead of your fancy biotics." Shepard leveled another shot at one of the centurions coming through the employee entrance of Afterlife. "Guns are less time consuming, after all."

"Any imbecile can hold a gun," Aria countered, taking cover beside Shepard. The violet-skinned asari was breathing heavily from adrenaline, her pale eyes regarding Shepard. "Point in case."

"You shouldn't use words too big for me to understand, me being such an imbecile and all," Shepard retorted. She was actually having fun with the banter. It took her mind off of the fact that they had been holed up behind the same table for the past forty-five minutes and there was no end in sight.

"Vega, EDI, status?" she called over her link to her squad.

"Still holding the line," Vega returned, though his voice was more strained than it had been ten minutes ago. "It's like every goddamn Cerberus asshat is funneling their way here."

"It's their last stand," EDI informed. "The Illusive Man is willing to sacrifice everyone here in order to keep the Element Zero stores away from the Alliance. And to keep Omega away from Aria."

"Keep holding," Shepard replied, letting off another blast from her rifle. "We'll get to you as soon as we can. Aria, how many 'sinks do we have left?"

"Maybe you should count them," was the biotic's retort, popping over her cover and tossing a double blast of Pull toward a legionnaire.

Shepard cursed, her next shot going high. She pulled back, hand reaching blindly for the pile of heat sinks they had managed to scavenge. Her fingers closed around one right as Aria let out a sigh.

"Last one," Aria informed. "Try not to hit the lights this time; those things are expensive."

Shepard swallowed a curse, loading in the sink. She lined up an engineer in her sights, pulling the trigger. His head exploded into a mess of gore, splattering the turret he had been trying to assemble.

"I can see daylight!" someone called from the left. Sure enough, the constant barrage of Cerberus troops coming through the door had stopped.

But Shepard didn't have ammo. "Fuck," she cursed, putting her rifle back on her back. "Aria, I'm borrowing your gun." Before Aria could process what she'd said, Shepard reached over and grabbed the pistol holstered at Aria's hip.

Aria made an annoyed noise before reaching out and grabbing Shepard's hip. "Well then don't mind if I borrow one of these."

Before Shepard could argue, Aria tugged an incendiary grenade from her hip, pulled the pin, and threw it. Shepard would have been annoyed if she wasn't so stunned at the accuracy the asari managed. The grenade flew into the middle of a crowd of seven, exploding on impact. They all went down, flames licking over their armor.

"Nice," Shepard praised.

Aria leveled a grin her way. "It's all in the wrist."

"You might have to show me that later," Shepard said nonchalantly, pulling the trigger of her borrowed pistol. A short burst of rounds emitted from the semi-automatic's barrel, the kickback stronger than Shepard anticipated.

Aria chuckled; with another flick of her wrist, a Warp tore a phantom in half. "Shepard, you get us through this alive and I will show you anything you want."

* * *

Within the hour, the VIP area of Afterlife was a mess of pitted, grenade and rocket damaged flooring, dead bodies, and weary Aria supporters. The Queen herself was in the process of getting a bullet dislodged from her left shoulder, making a grand show of being impervious to the pain.

One of her men, a batarian that Shepard had never gotten the name of, was the _doctor_. He didn't bother with any sterilization, gloves or tongs. He plunged his fingers into the violet flesh, fishing around for the illusive bullet. Blood bubbled out of the wound, staining her black undershirt.

Shepard made a face, watching with confusion. "How are you allowing him to do this?"

Aria shrugged her right shoulder, turning her eyes to Shepard. They were clouded with pain, but none of her discomfort was evident in her voice. "He looked the cleanest."

Shepard shook her head, loading a fresh heat sink into her rifle. "I'm going to move on to the next room."

"Take a few of the men."

Shepard shook her head. "I can cloak and get back here if the room looks to heavy."

"Bring some men, Shepard," Vega replied over her earpiece, startling her. It was disorienting not being with her squad yet still able to communicate. "It's heavy in here."

Shepard nodded. "James says it's heavy. They need reinforcements."

The batarian at her shoulder seemed to finally get the bullet and tugged it out of her arm. Aria let out a small breath, the air hissing between her teeth. "Let's move."

"Aria," Shepard began.

Aria's cool eyes met Shepard's and the asari's brow rose. "I sincerely hope that you were not about to tell me to stay behind. I hope this because you, of all people, know what happens when someone gets in my way."

Shepard raised her hands in a surrendering motion. "Fine, Aria. This is your tea party; how do you want to do it?"

Aria's lips curved into one of the seductive, predatorily tilts that Shepard loved and hated. "Shepard, hand me a few of those grenades, would you?"

* * *

It was amazing.

Shepard's eyes widened as she watched the grenade sail through the air and toward the ruined lower bar. Upon impact, the grenade shattered into a puddle of roiling fire. The smashed bottles glinted prettily against the sudden light just before the alcohol caught in the fire, causing the flames to lick higher and erupt outward. The beautiful display turned deadly for the fifteen Cerberus troops standing close enough to get caught in it.

"You're amazing at this," Shepard admitted.

"Not everything is pointing and shooting," Aria said, seeming proud of herself. "You have to have some pizzazz, after all." Her smile widened as she added, "Now stop staring and cover me."

With that she tossed herself over their cover, her returned pistol raised. She landed two shots neatly into a nearby engineer, a third finding the barrel of a turret and making the entire mechanism explode.

Shepard cursed, quickly reloading and aiming. There were at least ten men with their sights now trained on the Queen herself. Shepard landed one with a shot to the stomach, reloading as quickly as her gloved fingers would allow. She hit a guardian right between the slit of his shield, watching as he toppled into a heap.

Aria was taking them out quickly, landing quite a few bullets into the soft spot on the neck. She ducked behind a cover further ahead, loading another heat sink into the gun. "Shepard," she called, "try to keep up!"

"Bitch," Shepard muttered, not for the first time, and tossed herself out of cover. She dashed toward where Aria was crouched right as the asari stood. She began pushing forward, her gun letting out its short barrage of bullets.

Shepard covered the asari as best as she could, but Aria was reckless. She threw herself directly into a crowd of Cerberus, all the while sporting a damaged shield. Shepard landed two of her assailants before any harm could be done, and Aria quickly disposed of the other three with a well placed Singularity.

Chest heaving, grinning like a human on Christmas, Aria dropped behind a booth further up. Shepard picked off a few others before running to join her. "You're being stupid!" Shepard snapped, loading a new heat sink into her rifle. "What the fuck was that?"

Aria laughed. "Oh, was Commander Shepard worried?"

Shepard narrowed her eyes. "Vega, where are you two at?"

"We just saw Aria," James replied. "You guys are about five meters to our right. Ten meters ahead. We're behind the main bar right now."

"Stay put, we're coming," she ordered. She motioned toward the bar and Aria nodded, leaping over the booth and storming into the middle of the fray again.

Shepard rolled her eyes. "She is going to get me killed," she grumbled, following Aria into the thick of the Cerberus troops. She took out two of the grunts easily with a well-placed melee to their helmets. Her omni-tool blade was flecked with blood and what looked like brain matter. Shepard tried not to think about it as she plunged in into an engineer's neck.

Shepard turned away from the engineer in time to stare down the barrel of a centurion's gun. She could almost see the bastard smiling in her mind's eye as his finger moved to plunge the trigger.

Aria was there in an instant, grabbing the armored neck and somehow separating the head from the rest of the body. Shepard stumbled back as the headless body dropped, twitching, to the floor at her feet.

"Don't let your guard down, Commander," Aria cooed, reaching her hand out to help Shepard up.

Instead of grabbing Aria's hand, Shepard loaded an incendiary blast to her omni-tool, leveling it on the grunt that was standing directly behind Aria, his gun pointed at her. He flailed, dropped his gun, and managed to run five meters toward the door before collapsing.

Aria blinked, seeming amused. "Well. I guess that makes us even."

Shepard took her hand, allowing the asari to pull her to her feet. The pair looked around the demolished club. The few Cerberus troops that remained were being ushered to the basement by Aria's men, more than likely for some less than civil questioning. EDI and James were still near the main bar, EDI helping James with what looked like a dislocated arm.

It was over. Shepard took a shuddering breath, eyes taking in all of the busted glass and ruined upholstery. "You are going to have a hell of a time fixing this place up."

"We're a fast bunch," Aria murmured. "Time is money, after all. My time is very valuable."

In the lull, Shepard finally looked, really looked, at Aria. She was flecked with blood, both hers and others'. Her eyes were burning with something feverish, something ruthless. Her markings shone a vivid purple in the flashing red lights of the club. Everything about her looked dangerous and beautiful.

Aria's lips curved into a half smile. "Shepard? You're staring."

Shepard couldn't find the words to say whatever the hell it was she wanted to say. So instead she hooked her hand around the back of Aria's neck, pulling her into a bruising kiss.

To Shepard's surprise, Aria's full lips were just as eager as hers. Her mouth opened to Shepard, tongue darting between Shepard's teeth and ruthlessly commandeering her mouth. Her hands wound their way through Shepard's messy hair, using it to pull the commander in closer.

When they broke apart, they were met with stunned stares from everyone within sight. Aria, never one to be bashful, only flashed her gorgeous white teeth. "About damn time, Commander."

* * *

Author's Note:

Yep, there will be another chapter. All flirt and all sexiness. ;-) This story will be bumped up to an M rating so that I can get away with some risqué bits, so be sure to plan accordingly! As a completely unrelated side note, how is everyone enjoying Halo 4?

Also, for anyone interested, I have been requested to do a sexy one-shot with Arya and the Asari Councilor… be on the lookout for that within the next few days.

Love love to all – leave me some reviews to let me know how you liked it!

E.


	7. Exitlude

**Exitlude**

**(The End)**

* * *

Shepard pushed her way to the front of the line, much to the frustration of everyone else lined up around the block.

"Hey!" one guy called, looking as if he were about to bust a blood vessel. "Aria's expecting me!"

Shepard raised an eyebrow at him before flashing a smile toward the elcor bouncer. "Can I go in?"

The elcor made a strange humming noise before uttering, "Happily, please go in, Commander Shepard; Aria has been expecting you."

Shepard nodded, moving toward the door just as the man in line let out a frustrated sigh. "Do you know who I am?" he demanded of the elcor as Shepard made her way into the grand re-opening of Afterlife.

The club was already packed. The interior had been remodeled with even darker corners, sexier dancers, and flashier lighting. The dancers had been doubled, or so it seemed. An overly excited one latched on to Shepard's arm. "Commander, Aria has been awaiting you."

"Thanks," Shepard said simply, pulling her arm away from the girl. "Is she in the usual place?"

The dancer shook her head, her purple-tinged lips glinting in the red lighting. "She's near the main bar – she has a seat reserved for you."

Shepard nodded her thanks, moving toward the lower bar. Compared to the other patrons that evening, Shepard felt extremely under dressed. Diana Allers, for all of her irritating innuendoes, did manage to get Shepard out of her armor before coming to Afterlife. She had done Shepard up with a short black mini dress and a few glittering bracelets. Shepard had been apprehensive at first… until every male crew member, as well as a few of the female members, complimented her new look.

…And stared at her ass as she passed.

Shepard descended the newly sealed floor, her red heels (another Allers gift) clicking. She caught sight of a vacant stool, grinning at the small white note on the bar in front of it. _Reserved – Comm. Shepard, Spectre._

Shepard shook her head, sliding into the seat. The turian behind the bar came her way with a tumbler already filled. "Compliments of the house."

Shepard nodded her thanks, taking the tumbler and glancing around the room. She finally saw Aria from where she was across the bar, speaking with a vorcha and batarian. Aria's eyes glanced her way and she offered Shepard a small smile before going back to her conversation.

Shepard raised an eyebrow, downing her drink. She hadn't come all the way to Omega during the middle of a Reaper invasion to get dismissed. She slammed the tumbler down, startling a few people around her.

Shepard slid out of her seat, gracing over to where Aria stood. The vorcha was speaking that grating voice, saying something about shipments of red sand.

"Shepard," Aria greeted, interrupting her associate. "Was something the matter with your drink?"

"No," Shepard said simply. "I wanted to talk to you."

"In a minute," Aria dismissed her. "I'll come get you when I'm ready."

Shepard gritted her teeth and did her best not to lash out at Aria. Not here. Not with so many of her guns just waiting for an excuse to shoot Shepard down. Shepard settled with indifference. "Fine." She turned from the group and made her way to the dance floor.

Shepard could feel Aria's eyes following her through the room. This was more than likely a test of some sort. Aria asserting dominance. Shepard didn't have time for it and she certainly wasn't going to play submissive to Aria's whims.

She found a cute asari dancing by herself and gently grabbed her arm. "Hey, you look lonely," she called over the blaring music.

The asari grinned, wrapping her arms around Shepard's neck and pulling her in closer. "Not anymore, I'm not!" she replied, laughing. She was quick to begin dancing closely with Shepard, their hips bumping and undulating against each other.

Shepard only had to wait a few moments before one of Aria's men tapped her on the shoulder. She pulled away from her dancing partner, cocking a brow at the human, Sheerk. "Yeah?"

"Aria is ready for you," he said simply, jerking his thumb toward Aria's old hovel overlooking the club.

Shepard shrugged. "Tell Aria I'm in the middle of something," she replied curtly, turning back to her partner. _Let the Queen feast on that, _she thought with a grin as Sheerk moved away to return to Aria's side.

Just as the song changed to something darker and faster, a cool hand landed on Shepard's back. Lips caressed her ear as a velvety voice cooed, "Ignoring my summons, are we?"

Shepard smiled, not having to turn around. "Aria, I didn't think you danced!" Shepard's young looking dance partner pulled away, seeming both confused and terrified. Being met with Aria was usually not a good thing.

Aria shooed the girl away with a flick of her wrist. The asari went scurrying. Shepard turned to meet Aria's narrowed eyes, not being able to keep the grin from her face. "You always ruin my fun."

"Poor thing," Aria simpered. "Come on." She turned and began walking back to her usual place, presiding over her court. Shepard entertained the idea of ignoring her again, but decided that an annoyed Aria was easier to calm down than a murderous one.

Aria sat on her usually couch, the upholstery now a satiny black. She nodded to her men and they moved away, going to guard the stairwell and leave them in relative privacy. "So," Aria began, looking both aloof and annoyed.

Shepard crossed her arms under her chest, knowing very well how much cleavage threatened to tumble out of the low neckline. "So."

Aria's eyes flickered over her, a wolfish smile crossing her lips. "Still keeping in shape."

"Tons of cardio," Shepard replied with a grin. "I got chased around by a Reaper on Rannoch, you know. You might have heard about it."

"I hear so many tall tales, I never know what to believe," Aria replied with a sigh, getting to her feet. She began to circle Shepard, a finger gracing gently over Shepard's body as she passed. "Who was your little friend on the dance floor?"

"Jealous, Aria?" Shepard asked, unable to keep the smile from her lips even while trying to suppress a shudder. Aria's finger paused just over her spine, a reminder of those few months previously when they were in a very similar position. The only difference then had been a lack of clothing on Shepard's part, and a revolt against Cerberus raging around them.

"I don't get jealous," Aria murmured, finger trailing upward over Shepard's spine. "Other people get dead." With that her hand secured around Shepard's neck, holding her in place.

Shepard's heart thundered in her chest as she glanced to her side, trying to see the expression on Aria's face. "She was so beautiful, though. You wouldn't want to kill her just because she danced with me."

"Funny," Aria murmured, stepping closer. "That's exactly what I want to do." Her lips bushed Shepard's cheek as she spoke, her hand dropping away.

Shepard turned to her, grabbing the asari's shoulders and forcing her backwards, shoving her onto the couch. Shepard straddled the asari's waist, pinning her to the couch by her wrists. "I don't like playing these little mind games, Aria," she breathed, lips lowering to Aria's ear. "So stop fucking around."

Aria's chest rose and fell, her breathing shallow. She was excited, Shepard could smell it. Her eyes were narrowed, though. "This won't end well for you, Shepard," she warned, but her voice was so deliciously seductive, the warning didn't register.

Before Shepard could grasp what was happened, she was laying on her backside, the cold floor biting into her bare arms. Aria was on top of her, skin dancing with blue biotic tracings. Aria lowered herself onto Shepard, one hand finding its way under Shepard's panties, the other gripping Shepard's hair and pulling her into a rough kiss.

Shepard wasn't sure what was happening. So many amazing feelings were racing through her as Aria moved her fingers against her. She felt the flicker of biotics course through her and bucked against them, letting out a keeping cry against Aria's tongue.

Shepard tugged at Aria's tight pants, managing to shove them down over her ass. Her fingers found what she was looking for, caressing across the asari's smooth, slick skin. Aria began to move rhythmically against her fingers, pushing Shepard's hand deeper while her mouth devoured Shepard's.

The asari finally pulled away after a few moments, gasping for breath and eyes full of lust. "My room?"

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with right here?"

Aria's lips curved into that delightful smile of hers as she pulled Shepard toward the couch.

* * *

Author's Note:

Oooh goodness! You all can fill in the blanks of what transpired afterwards. ;)

That is the end of this short fic, but keep an eye out! I am still taking all of your requests. So far, we have a Tevos/Aria one-shot planned, as well as a Garrus/Tali fic. Keep 'em coming!

Love you guys. As usual, you can PM me anytime or tweet at me on twitter. All of my info's on the profile!

Love love,

E.


End file.
